


Desert Oasis

by yukionna1



Category: Dance with Devils (Anime)
Genre: Alternate History, Alternate Universe, Glax is still the worst dad ever, Jek is still Jek though, Multi, Noel isn't really that bad in this, Rem and Urie are brothers in this fic, Romance, Slow Build, Story inspired by the art and fan art of Rem and Urie's unit cd cover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-08-08 23:54:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7778584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yukionna1/pseuds/yukionna1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rtisuka Tachibana, a common girl from the lands of China is captured and sold as a slave in the market of the capital known only as The Golden City of the Desert. A land said to have been the birthplace of the Heroes and Sorceress Goddess of old. There she is bought and taken to the palace to work in the kitchens as a servant. What possible future lies for her trapped in this strange mystical land?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A pearl in the Hand.

 

* * *

**  A Pearl in the Hand. **

* * *

 

The five now no more than three of them lived near the very edge of the shadow of the now over a thousand years old so called Great Wall of China, a nearly imposing structure built so long ago to keep an invading army of Huns out and in turn seemed to reach out and touch the very heavens above the clouds as if the gods themselves could simply step out of the clouds and be on the earth like they had done so long ago in the ancient past to set up another royal Dynasty of Golden Dragons. They lived and were surrounded on all sides by deep forests and waterfalls that kept them all fed and watered.

It was a simple life for them. Far away from the palace and its darkness and lust.

A young girl moved swiftly and carefully along the bank of a pebble strewn river, carrying firewood in her back watching the fish swim by, listening to the voices of the forest. It was midday the sun not too bright the forest full of life and wonder. Maybe later she would bring her brother out here to run their feet in the spring and talk of days long past.

That was until she heard a horses' frilly whine and strange voices that she could barely understand.

_"They said she was around here..."_

The voice had a rough and strangely deep sound to it but she still could recognize it, thanks to her Grandfather who had given her lessons of other languages around the known world she could tell that whoever was speaking was not from around her or China for that matter.

Strange why would they want to be here didn't they know that...

She looked up from the river spotting a couple dozen strangely dressed figures up ahead through the trees half hidden but standing out against the greenery, her eyes widening as she looked at them more closely. Without a doubt she knew who and what these people were, quickly she dropped the firewood and bolted to the other side of the river.

She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt had to get away from them.

She was just a few miles away from home, she could hear her mother and her cousin talking as they went about their morning.

That was until she felt someone grab her from behind.

 _"Yes... this one will make a great sell."_ He smirked his eyes hidden behind a strange looking mask.

Out in the corner of her eyes she saw more coming, men all men dressed in the black clothing of Slavers.

She would not could not be taken by them.

She fought back pulled her wrist away from him startling the man holding her reached up and slapped him across the face leaving three long and noticeable deep gouges on the left side of his face.

The man recoiled at the surprise unexpected attack his red eyes wide in shock a shaking hand raised to his face.

This had not happened even in a barbaric place like this before... not once.

The men descended on her from all sides. There was no escape there was no other way but to fight and that is what she did until she felt something, a presence within her mind darkening her eyes turning her body to lead a sneering voice whispering harshly in her ear.

"That'll keep you out for a while until well after you are sold, little ruby bird..."

* . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * . * .

Vaguely she remembered that Lindo has asked if she wanted him to go along with her saying it would be quicker and easier but she had refused saying that he had other things to do at the moment. How could she have been so foolish... But at the same time how could she have expected anything to change. It had just looked like any ordinary day after all.

The left side of her face still aced and throbbed slightly, she weakly raised a none seeable hand to her cheek and felt the skin it felt skin tender and without looking she knew it would leave a mark, a mark that would go away given time. The cart jostled and rattled sending her falling to the floor of her moving cell. As the day wore on she drifted in and out of consciousness as whatever that had afflicted her with worked its magic on her mind keeping her from moving or fighting against her captors or even the binding on her hands and feet tied as tightly as she thought foot binding must feel like. Horribly she thought that's what they were going to do to her before the thought was swept away form her mind leaving it all but blank and nearly empty.

Straining herself and her entire body to keep her eyes open she looked out through the bars as the landscaped changed to to that of burning deserts and freezing moons recognizing nothing through the haze.

One mile after the other one more step and jerk of her cage was taking her so far from home as she was dragged onwards.

Once again her eyes slipped shut the spell taking her strength once again her body like lead an ocean currant dragging her down.

"Is she awake?" One of the men sighed, the dark mark on the left side of his face a firm reminder of what happened when they had underestimated this seemingly defenseless girl.

"No that spell will last until we reach the city and then some."

"Master are you sure she's not of anyone important?"

"Important?! Just look at her feet, don't you see that she's a nobody!" Said the one who was their leader, his pink hair tied in a pony tail that was placed delicately over his shoulder glaring down at him from his high horse gesturing at her shackled feet.

"Once more she's a daughter from China, a nothing of no importance, no one will ever miss her." Cold red eyes glittered maliciously in the desert moon down at the one curled in the cage the three marks on his cheek standing out against the moonlight. He raised a hand to it wincing slightly.

The ten of them came to rest for the night and set up camp by an oasis under the shade of a single tree the bright moonlight the only source of light until a fire could be set he was just about to tell some of his men to find some wood when he spotted one of his younger members moving towards her still presently curled up on the cage still deep under the spell numb to everything and anything.

"Leave her alone," he called in annoyance. "We'll get a better price on her if she's a virgin." There was no reason to get a child from this one, not yet anyway. They would get another woman and wait until the next full moon for that .

"What if they ask if she's Muslim or Christian? They might lower the price to nothing..."

"Are you an idiot. That is precisely why we are doing this. Even though she's not wearing a face covering and did you see the way she fought in the forest? She wasn't taught to be some docile lamb meant to bear children that's for sure. She'll fetch a good enough prince."

". . .She's not very pretty, but she has good strength at least, she'd make for a very good working slave."

"Whatever let's just dump her off at the first buyer that comes." Another said still nursing his deep wounds from the nights before.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

_The cottage was small but well built and held together and hidden by a powerful magic and above all it was comfortable something not quite common in China during the time but still it had to be built like one to avoid suspicion to anyone who was powerful enough to not be enchanted by the spell. There was still a small window in the front where in the distance a head of brown could be seen in the distance coming steadily closer to the dwelling. The child giggled holding the small creature in her hands ready to show her mother and brother what she had just captured._

_"Xiông?" She called out to the house. Hearing no response in return Something wasn't right, even to the child's young mind she knew it. The dragonfly her little gift slipped out of his fingers back into the shrinking darkening woods._

_"Ritsuka!"_

_"Mother!?"_

_"Rtisuka!"_

_"Grandfather!?"_

_"Ritsuka?! Where are you?!"_

_I'm right here!" The child shouted spotting what she thought to be that of her own mother pulling at her clothing to get her attention as all innocent children did. If she was anyone else if she was anywhere else expect here she could be sent flying to the hard ground in one swift strike for this so called misbehavior._

_"Ritsuka!?"_

_"I'm right here!"_

_A hand was placed delicately and carefully on her shoulder upon the tattered remains of her simple dark green kimono and she turned to see that of her grandfather in his burial clothing stained with dirt of his eyes filled with sadness and anguish._

_"I am sorry my dear granddaughter."_

_Suddenly another man stepped out of the shadows of the nothingness, a man she did not know and dressed in odd clothing but whose eyes matched hers and that were gazing at her in sadness and deep regret._

_"It is all my folly... But I promise you it will all be over soon, you will be where you were meant to..."_

Just then she screamed her voice raw and powerless as she felt a searing coldness rushing over her and she was forced back into a harsh reality felt the harsh burning sun rain down upon her hot and cold running all through her nerves.

It was loud that much she could still sense about her, that and a pair of red eyes she could see through her haze, she raised her head best she could staring into a pair of seemingly mocking cold red glowing dizzying eyes.

"Oh? Did we wake you from a pretty dream?" She heard one of her captors say through a sneering voice down at her before her blurry vision was obscured by his leader.

"Time to go. Little ruby bird."

He reached out grabbing her by her wrist to drag her out of her cage and into the harsh desert ground. Her throat felt raw feeling like she hand't eaten in days, despite that she gathered what little water she had remaining in her mouth and spat at him through her clouded vision. Though she couldn't see it the mans now seeable eyes twitched in anger as the spit rolled down his cheek his purple colored lips twisting and turning. He tightened his hold on her bangs and held her up to his eyes.

"Just for that I'll see you sold off to some diseased ridden fat old man... I swear."


	2. Value before Price

  **Value before Price**

* * *

 

It was _hot_.

Though him saying that out loud would be the understatement of the century and could get him very strange looks for saying something so obvious that it was pointless to even say it before he made one of his men or his guards shove them away his shoes clicking against the smooth surface of the street as he made his way through.

It had been eighteen years since he had been bought to... _live_ as a slave here. Nearly thirteen years since he had been taken out of the shackles by the now deceased Queen of this Golden City and nearly five since his worth had been proven to the king and he still wasn't quite used to this damned weather. The mornings and afternoon was boiling hot, the evenings and nights freezing cold. There was absolutely no in between.

Yes the weather was damned miserable at any time of the day.

He had just gotten back after spending a week in Turkey and then another in some other place that for the life of him could not remember the name of on business for the king, trying to bring about suitable marriages betrothal for the kings two sons for whatever good that did. Besides he doubted the king was looking for any form of peace anyway.

A guard shoved a passerby peddler away from him as he walked on through the streets the guards making his way clear for him as he had ordered that he did not wish for any distractions on his way to the palace. That was another thing the streets here were too crowded with peddlers selling their wares at the top of their voices, market goers rushing by, a few beggars, a petty child play thief keeping away form him as they made their way through the city square bustling with intense booming noise. The Golden City of the Desert, a mixture of both old and new.

Sure the city smelt a lot better than what he still recalled of his home back in the heart and ghettos of France and the crowds were relatively the same. The only good thing about having lived in that dungheap thanks to his parents choice as well as, if he remembered correctly had been the much cooler weather coming off the water not unlike the soft breeze coming from the one that ran through the city but...

The kings top advisor Noel* raised a hand to his brow and wiped the absurd amount of sweat from his heated forehead. This damned turban he was wearing wasn't helping him in the slightest and neither was this fan bearing Muslim slave. He was just about to shout at him to step away when he paused noticing a flash of very familiar obnoxious colored hair in the distance.

He looked back. No... it couldn't.

He looked even closer watching it bobbing in and out of his sight in the swarming crowd.

And yet it was.

Without another thought he walked towards what he knew for a fact to be that of his old... partner.

"Master?" He vaguely heard one of his men asked as he turned a corner. He did not see his eyes widening at where he was heading. "That is towards the slave markets... _Master! They might believe that you still are...!"_ The servants voice was lost to the guards swift movements as they filed in after him, spears as well as guns raised and ready to strike or shoot or preparing for a spell to be cast, whichever came first, at anyone who might be troublesome as their master swiftly went by, looking for all the world like he was under some sort of spell himself.

On his part Noel paid little to no notice to anything else as he walked on blindly. His long desert robes swishing behind him in the wind. While he thought he could never get used to the cut of the clothing in this place he still figured that he dressed a bit better and less revealingly then prince Urie, what with the way he shamelessly showed off his skin, not as if that brother of his was any better anyway. Of course saying that out loud would get his tongue cut out and not because he thought he dressed better than a royal. Besides what else was one to wear in this damnable heat anyway?

He came to a halt right behind him he and his men hardly noticed him as they moved to a shackled foreign looking girl held down by a magic spell ready for the market, an image of the past filling his mind.

"Jek." He began, not even waiting for him to turn around trying to keep his voice steady. "Never thought I would see your fragranced self back here."

The others around him turned red eyes widening at the sight of him.

"Its him..."

"You. . ."

The man named Jek turned, an annoyed growl starting in his throat that froze his eyes widening when he caught sight of him, staring at him voice as if lost to him for a good few seconds before he swiftly retrieved it. He notice that he had lost the pale look about him his hair so blond it looked grey colored even more by the sun, eyes as dark as grey clouds and were fixed on him waiting for his answer.

"Its him... its _Noel_...!" Jek heard one of his men shout above the noise of slaves being offered, prices being made, no one noticing or paying the two of them any mind but a few who noticed Noel first from long ago, their eyes narrowing and then the guards standing right behind him, their hands tight around their weapons, as well as the sensation begging to spread through the air of preparing to create a protective or death spell if need be.

And with all of that in mind they turned swiftly back to their own business.

"Y-you...!"

"Me." Noel smirked as the two of them stared at each other long buried memories of the past resurfacing once again.

~~_"How the might have fallen, and can and will fall even further down... Is that not right... Noel?"_ ~~

~~_"Yes."_ ~~

Jek shook his head, trying to get that out of his head. This wasn't right, why was someone like him dressed so richly, flanked by guards and...

"What the hell are you doing out here?! Should you not be on your knees toiling away on a courtyard somewhere?!"

"Perhaps a decade or so ago but not today... I am a kings man now Jek."

"That cannot be right!"

"Oh but it is."

". . . . Fine! Whatever. Just... Just get away quickly I'm trying to sell this girl! Don't you see that people won't buy anything with guards here even if they worthless byproduct of..."

Noel ignored his speech and instead he gazed up at the girl and then back at the other noticing the bruises on their faces.

"Oh. . .? What is this? Can't handle one small girl anymore Jek? Getting rather old for this work as well..." He smirked, eyes on the dark marks on his cheek that he had tried to cover up with some sort of badly casted spell.

The other blushed a light shade of red that nearly matched his lighter colored strange hair.

Noel looked and saw the men still had the marks on his hand.

His sharp eyes fell on the bruise on her face, her face pale, her eyes dulled and dead looking.

"How much is she and where is she from?"

"China... And that is none of your business!" He sputtered.

The cook needed some new hands in her kitchens anyway now that he thought about it.

"Her feet are not bound. Good I'm taking her."

"She's not for sale!" He spat at him.

"All slaves are for sale." He said, mimicking his word he had said to him in the past. "When the right _values_ are met..."

"Not to you."

"Are you still hot and bothered at the sight of me? Did you already forgot what I told you not a moment ago. . .? I am a kings man now Jek." Noel said to him loftily, folding his arms over his chest, a cool self assured smirk on his face. The same kind he had shown to him when he had been taken away by the same guards he now commanded so long ago. "I could see you in shackles with just a flick of my head and thrown to lions without even a trial." He half turned to the half a dozen guards he had with him whose fingers tightened on the handle of their guns.

"...Fine! Just take her for what good it'll do you!"

He smiled nodded to one of the guards who approached the girl next to the men.

"Careful with her now, she's under a spell." He watched as the guard carefully put her in his arms then looked back at Jek.

"It'll wear off in thirty minutes." He muttered though gritted teeth a overly shadowed eye twitching.

"Fought back against you that much did she? Well now I'm very pleased I got to her first. Its good to have another strong pair of hands working on the staff. Not a doubt in my mind that you would have given her to the first old pervert who came this way and that would have been a huge waste in talent. Well... I must be off. Royal duties to see to and all. Royal princes and royal mentors to be bothered by. A kings temper to withstand and other such things. Well anyway pleasure doing business with you, as always _Jek_ ~. May the Goddess and the Heroes ever be with you... _for whatever good it'll do to some rat like you_." With that he turned on his heel in the sand and left without looking back at the man who looked like he was burning like the sun.

"To the dammed impaler with you false god loving heathen," Jek hissed at him under his breath.

But he was already out of earshot towards the palace glittering over the city as bright as the sun on the many tips of the Pyramids of Egypt.

His men looked back at their master helplessly. Angrily Jek gnashed his teeth together so harshly that a bit of dark red colored blood began oozing out of his lower lip where piercing the flesh could be seen a pair of white pointed teeth sharp and clear as the palest ivory.

* * *

_***In the palace kitchens.*** _

The head Cook gazed down at this small slip of a girl the kings top advisor had bought for her to see and then back up at to the one who he had left there for to answer her questions when he had promptly left the kitchens without another word.

"Where did he say she was from?"

"China miss."

"China?"

She gazed down at her feet and clicked her tongue.

"She's not from the nobility that is for sure, which is good, she looks like she can work hard. I'm tired of these tiny footed weak servants coming from there. Noel does have an eye for things like that I'll give him that. Well anyway... she needs some water first, she looks like she hasn't eaten of bathed in days."

She looked more closely at the younger girl looking somewhat half asleep, docile even.

"Why is she like this?" Cook asked gesturing at the girl.

"A spell has been cast on her to keep her like that. It is wearing off as we speak. Noel asked a spell caster to help it along."

Frowning slightly she looked back at her and knew it too be true, a tricky spell that could not be broken only waited out.

Thanks to that the girl was looking down away from her towards the ground. She had a very... strange air about her that she knew was not from the spell. Her hair was a mess as well as what she could see of her pale face where on the left side a small dark bruise had formed. She was told that she had been strong and she did not doubt it, she would make a very good worker.

"Fought back against them did you?"

"...Yes..."

"You have courage then I'll give that to you at least. Well... that bruise will go away after a while you won't feel it very soon. Now look up at me girl."

Slowly she looked up and she saw the color of her eyes seemingly to be brown mixed with just the lightest bit of gold looking nearly like the prince Urie's. A unique color to say the least.

"What is your name?"

"...Ritsuka..."

"Are you Christian or Muslim?"

". . .Neither. . ."

"Well good for you, Ritsuka you'll be treated better than most for your parents having a brain. From this day forwards you will work for me you will be a servant in the kitchens and do as you are told... _not that that won't be any different for someone like you_." Her voice tailed off as she said that.

"I look forward to seeing what you can do. Now someone get her some water and something to eat and a bed. We will have to wait until that spell wears off on her."

* .* .* .* .* .* .* .* .* .* .* .* .* .* .* .* .* .* .* . * . * . * . * . *. *

**Sue me I'm keeping her name as Cook for the time being. Also if your wondering what she looks like she's the girl who told Ritsuka about the notice from Rem in the first episode minus the glasses.**

***I'm not gonna lie. When I first saw a still picture of Noel from the stage play I thought he was a cinnamon-roll cat, now however I think he is a _S_ innamon-roll cat who just so happens to be a turncoat bat.**

**Aslo I know what you all are wondering. When will Rem and Urie come in? Well fear not for the both of them will be in the next chapter. However Glax will be there as well... so yeah.**


	3. Cold sun

**(Original title King without a Queen)**

**Chapter three**

* * *

 

**The palace throne room.**

The diamond shaped open walled room was well crafted and grand, built by the best craft-hands in the lands and spell casters of ages past. Any and every jewel in existence known to the world embedded the walls and pillars as well as the of the throne polished to a shine and kept from fading even the slightest bit by simple magic. It was large as well, larger then even the throne rooms of Egypt or even that of the ancient Roman empire or any known to the living mind of the world.

The room itself so bright in its appearance that is appeared as if it were brighter than even that of the very sun itself.

A stone mouth at the far end of the room shaped in the likeness of the head of a wolf jutted out water into crystal clear pools that flowed around the edge of the room against bright tiles flowing into the palace courtyard far below by use of underground pipes.

However even with the sun's warm rays just beyond the open room showing through the circular pillars and all of its bright jewels and polished walls it was a room as freezing as those of the highest icy mountains of central Asia.

But none of that could be more true of or even come close to matching that of the one who sat upon his cold throne, his misleading bright eyes gazed irritably about the room until the sound of the silvery gold double doors opened and two people stepped carefully inside of the room and both came to kneel by his ill-gotten throne a respectable distance away, placing their left hands over their heart and bowed down to him on one knee as if he was the god Ra incarnate from the lands of Egypt. Cold dark and seemingly soulless golden eyes surveyed the two kneeling before him patiently awaiting his word of why he had sent for them two as they waited for him to speak to then.

The king of the Gold City of the Desert, The city build by the Sorceress Goddess and descendent of the Hero Kings of old Glax Arlond, tall and imposing even while sitting down gazed below at his only two sons and only children kneeling before him on the cold ivory colored marble, looking at them more like a master surveying his loyal servants.

"Rem," he began cooly. "Urie."

"Yes Father?" Cold aquamarine nearly teal colored eyes looked up at him, ash blond hair like his own peeking out of a white colored head scarf (*1) held by a band of silver with blue jewels encrusted within. His eldest son Rem.

"Yes sir?" Eyes that matched him but a bit warmer, light brown hair mixed with the slightest bit of orange that he had inherited from his mother that was covered by a dark red colored white turban where red and purple jewels were incrusted within, Urie his youngest and most disappointing son.

Glax's eyes narrowed angrily, his eyes turning to that of a cold wolf like blue, shining like the moon itself.

"Father." He corrected himself quickly, his eyes cast down as he had always been taught to act in front of him.

The king's wolf like eyes gazed down at the boy before they returned to that freezing color of gold.

". . .Noel has returned today with the marriage betrothal for the both of you. The princess of the neighboring country of Turkey, daughter of Osman the third." (*2)He nodded to Urie.

 "And the princess of Persia daughter of Valerian the sixth." He nodded towards Rem.

"I will see that this is carried all the way through and make no mistake you two will see to it as well."

"As you wish father." Rem, always the dutiful son, said with bow of his head.

Urie glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye, his small braid on the left side of his face that he had placed there himself as well as his large earrings to hide the movement of his eyes from the one sitting on the silver crimson throne before him. The goddess sorceress knew of the punishments his father gave for the least offense before to him.

"It shall be done without fail father." Urie quickly followed suit and with a wave of his bejeweled clawed hand they had the king's and master's leave to go

When they were out together in the hall and safely out of the earshot of their father Urie glanced sideways at his brother a small smirk forming on his lips.

"Princess of Persia for you brother? What a fine match that is I have to say. I heard that she is as every bit as masochistic as those Christians are and that she must smell like dogs thanks to that brother of hers. You must be very... excited."

Rem flushed just the slightest bit at that.

"Yes, well... I hear the princess of Turkey like to walk around in men's clothing and also acts as if she was a woman from Pagan German. . . I'm sure she must smell as lovely as one of your jasmine flowers."

Urie grimaced at the thought then frowned.

"...Rem... Did you just try to make a joke?" He asked, the slightest bit of worry in his voice.

"...That is not important." Rem said quickly trying to change the subject as swiftly as possible and get away from Urie. The two of them together, much to Rem's annoyance, had turned a corner and were heading towards a courtyard. Urie was not paying much attention closing him palm reopening it revealing when he did a small brightly colored butterfly sitting in his palm releasing it from his hold to fly through the air.

"Besides, this isn't about establishing more ties between the kingdoms or anything of the sort despite what you or other people think. The two princesses are our distant cousins by an ancient marriage and father wants all with blood of the daughters of the desert back here once are some that whisper and others that believe, that the Turkish king is hiding Christians behind the Queen's back and allowing them to preach their doctrines in their houses like they did back in Roman times when they first began to separate themsleves from their Jewish shadow."

"I know that as well thanks to Holland. I just... Hmm?"

Urie was glancing over his shoulder, looking at something behind him. Frowning, Rem looked to see what he was looking at at the other side of the pool, quickly catching sight of a color of gold and brown looking right at him and Urie before it vanished in a flurry of flowers and blossoms.

"That was..."

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

_Three days, she had been here for a total of three days. Whenever the spell she had been under wore off she had not know, all she know was walking up in a simple bed in a shaded room with someone next to her who the moment she opened her eyes went and got the head cook. Even then she had been vaguely aware of her surrounding even under the spell._

_She had been raised from a slave to a servant and given better work than them._

_That didn't mean she had to like it._

_She would bide her time until she could find a way to go back home._

_For now though she had to do as she was told. She still had the small grey bindings on her wrist, but its color had now changed to that of a light gold color shining somewhat like the sun but still pulsed with a power to keep her tied to the land but not the power to keep her immobile if need be. The people here had learned from ancient Rome as well as from experiences of their ancestors who had once been in-slaved by them long ago of what happened when an enemy was given too much freedom to roam around. The head cook had said to her that they would come off by themselves eventually._

_At this moment she was cutting carrots in the middle of a counter, surrounded by a number of girls and same amount of men, both older and younger then herself and a number odd machines that she did not recognize. She had heard from her Mother about the advanced technology found in the middle east as well as in the countries that surrounded them along with Europe, but she could never have imagined things as unique as these._

_She gently scrapped the carrots into a pot ladened with a strange looking soup set on a strange pattern of iron and watched as the boy next to her turned a circular device and produced a fire ring around it and looked up when a younger looking girl approached her. From the way she was dressed and the lack of the bindings on her wrists she knew that she was no slave. She had been told to only talk to servants as the two slaves in the kitchens were not able to answer back. Her hair was light brown held back from a part of her eyes by a small barrette situated above the left side of her face, causing some bangs to fall over her eyes face tan, dressed the same as she was minus the small band of grey._

_"Excuse me... You are Ritsuka correct?_

_"Yes."_

_"N-nice to meet you, Ritsuka. I am Zobeidé." She said, placing the tip of her fingers together before her._

_". . .Nice to meet you... Zob.. id..."_

_She smiled up at her._

_"It is all right if you cannot get it right. . . You must no doubt still be very unsure of us and also that last remnants of that spell must still be effecting you. . . From what you said they must have mistaken you for one of those. I am sorry for that. You'll get used to it eventually though, everyone does._

_At the mention of that Ritsuka frowned remembering what they had said before they had captured her before she looked back at Zobeidé a questioning look in her eyes._

_"Is there... something you want to ask?"_

_". . .If you don't mind me asking this... You are from China right?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Then... then can you please tell me if it is it true then what people are saying about that country? About. . . about well..."_

_"What she is trying to say is that she wants to know as well as us if what our people say about that place is true or not." An older looking girl said stoping what she was doing to ask, others moving in closer to hear. Around her she saw most of the other servants pausing in their work_

_"If it is true that they women are not allowed to go to schools to become scholars and are taught to simply cook and knit. That they are not taught to fend for themselves like they rightly should be able to."_

_"Umm... well yes I suppose. Some are allowed into the Capital known as The Forbidden City but. . ." Ritsuka began trying to remember what her mother had told them about the land outside their own home about the Empress, the wives, concubines and the so called talents that lined the Emperors bed, feeling awkward from all the stares and confused looks she was getting._

_"But most are not allowed outside the house?" A boy asked._

_At this point nearly everyone in the kitchen had ceased what they were doing and were leaning in to listen or ask question from their new partner._

_"Or about... how they bind their feet to the point of deformation?" asked another a look of disgust in his eyes as well as his voice. There were some from there who said that men found the thought of dissected rotten skin attractive._

_The very idea of someone liking that disgusted him._

_"Yes..."_

_"Truly!?" A girl asked moving a hand in front of her face, a look of disgust and shock filling it._

_"Then... Then how can a child from their own body learn to read and write swiftly if it is only their fathers that are allowed to do it?" An older girl asked._

_"Or... Or be strong when their mothers can barely walk!?" A boy questioned._

_"They are not... the boys are allowed to learn from a teacher. . ."_

_A small beat of silence rang through the kitchen, broken only by the sound of water coming through what she has been told is a faucet sink before the kitchen rang with at least half a dozen voices at once effectively filling up the large room. caring over to the other where the head cook was, making her breath heavily in a sigh._

_She should have known something like this was going to happen._

_"Then it is every bit as backwards as our teachers have said that it is!"_

_"Oh sweet Sorceress Goddess and Hero kings, join forces with our each other again along with our gods and save these backwards people!_

_"Yes! They must surly be secretly run by the barbaric Christians and Muslims! The lot of them too thought like that about woman as well!"_

_"Truly. Have you heard about the Corset they loved so much? In class we saw that it pushes the bones upwards, crushing them into the chest! It must be like internal foot binding!"_

_"No no... Get your facts together already Zantout. That hideous thing came long before their abominable rise to power."_

_"...Are you sure?"_

_"If we do not make sure what we are saying is correct we are little better than them. The lot of them loved to distort events to fit their liking as well."_

_Some were simply muttering darkly to each other._

_"What foolish people they are there." A few boys and girls muttered to each other, shaking their heads in dismay._

_"Truly... I will not be surprised in the least if a man comes to power who detest learning and allows it to be banned and punishes those who have more intelligence than him if his mother is not allowed to teach him a balance in his life." A boy sighed._

_"I heard that the men in China even find Foot-binding attractive and like to. . . touch the unseeable bit of skin."_

_"Ha! Image that, playing around with rotting flesh!"_

_"That does sound like a thing Christians would love to do. . . with themselves at least. I read in my history books that they loved to whip and preform self harm on themselves and push their bodies to the upmost limit because they believing they if they do they are seen as holy and good in their god's eyes and that bad things will not happen to them. They even like to wear outfits under their outer ware made out of some sort of scratchy hair wherein small creatures could eat away their flesh and nether-regions."_

_"The human body cannot withstand so much strain on it like what they did... but they were not smart enough to know that not many at the time were. But then again they detested new ideas and knowledge that differs from their own after all."_

_"Yeah... I heard about that guy. He used to be a partner to a second Henry of England before he became a churchman and wanted to stop the king from punishing the priests who committed murder?"_

_"Yes... Thats the one. The captured king Richard the Lion-heart's father... Henry the 2nd."_

_A few of them in the small group turned to the one Christian slave huddled against the wall who drew back a bit as their eyes fell on him looking away._

_"Don't blame us, it was your own choice." One of them said, shrugging a bit as they looked away._

_"What idiocy that is...! As Janna already said, the human body is not capable of enduring such things. Its human nature. Even the bloodthirsty ancient Romans had more sense then them... or at least tried to anyway. If only that mad emperor Nero had finished what he had began with them. I only wish the Muslims had been around as well during his insane reign."_

_"Oh do not say something like that... Those "games." Such a way to die..."_

_"The Christians burned innocent woman among others at the stake and drove the true inhabitance of the lands they conquered out if they did not conform to their beliefs and the Muslims killed our noble ancestors and plunged them into the depth of the Red Sea. What in the name of our gods are you talking about?"_

_In the middle of all of this uproar and friendly back and forth Ritsuka frowned._ Sorceress goddess... Heroes _... She had heard of them before form her Grandfather told to by him by her own unknown father. Thinking back she remembered that they were the ones who stopped. . ._

_"That is enough from you lot..." The head Cook called out coming in from the other room, a hand on the side of her head as if trying to drive off a headache, effectively silencing the commotion._

_"Though they have a right to act that way. How can a country possibly be properly run if half of its population cannot be allowed to use the brain given to them by their own gods or be allowed to have strengths of mind as well as body so their own children can be strong like them as well when they lie within them? Weak woman cannot hope to give birth to strong intelligent children if only one part of them are allowed to be." Cook shook her head dark hair flying._

_"Strength has to come from both sides of the parents not just one half."_

_Ritsuka blinked at the remark remembering, that back home mother had said that her father had said that to her as well..._

_"So said the Hero kings and the Sorceress Goddess."_

_Ritsuka looked around the girls in the room had their eyes closed as if they were chanting a silent prayer. In the far corner the two slaves stood against the shadows eyes down and hands folded trying to look as insignificant as possible, forever silent._

_"You still have slaves like in China." She said remembering what her Grandfather had told her about sold off daughters in laws from poor families. The head Cook opened her eyes and sighed._

_"Yes that is true, however we do not make slaves out of our own people or our daughters only those captured by slavers those like Christians and Muslims who had dared to try and destroy this country and halt the progress of the world in order to spread their views. That part is mostly the Christians fault, I will admit to that but the lot of them are a strange existence to say the least. Loving war even fighting amongst themselves and bloodshed and inflict torture upon themselves and on others who do not agree with any of their views but theres in the name of their fanatic views and believe in only one god."_

_"There is a group that wants to disband them however... They are an unfavorable sort."_

_"Yes... I agree with others that we should hunt the slavers down to the last but they are a necessary existence if we wish to finally extinguish them from every corner of the land. And you are not a slave you are a servant remember that." She finished with a nod to Ritsuka._

_"You had best hope that the King does not hear you saying that miss. He is as short tempered as it is these days and the mere mention of that group will certainly not help matters."_

_"Yes indeed... Now all of you get back to work. Ritsuka, there is something I need you to do. . ."_

She followed the directions the head cook gave to her to the palace courtyard with only making a few wrong turns walking along a ivory colored archway where before she knew it she came out into a courtyard bathed in the hot mid-morning sun, rows upon rows of many types of colorful sweet smelling flowers lined almost virtually against a crystal clear pool filled by a stone mouth shaped in the likeness of a sand dwelling wolf set in the middle of the courtyard that ran into an underground aqueducts and flowed out into the city, desert greenery, bright green palm trees and trees dotted all around each one offering shade from the hot sun, a couple dozen fountains were littered all around the area water dancing in their center raised. The pathways was made up of brightly colored patterned tile coming yet uncommon in the country. The tile as made up of strange unique patterns that seemed to weave in and out of their own images and appeared to showing more than they let on as they led you deeper into the courtyard or else directed you to a different place in the palace.

Ritsuka stood under the shade of the archway looking out into the splendor that was the palace courtyard before her, her eyes wide in utter amazement. She had never seen something as amazing as this all her life. Suddenly memories of Grandfather's burial spot filling her minds eye. Remembering herself sneaking through the high bamboo joining Lindo already there to pray for guidance from their grandfather at his grave or else sneaking in on him in a forest and coming up behind him him, making him laugh in surprise, a time when the two of them were both very young and splashing in the water under the watchful eyes of their mother and grandfather. She raised a hand to her eyes to wipe away the forming tears. She wouldn't cry now, she would be strong. That is what Grandfather her made had made promise him as he lay dying.

She knew she would see them again, she could feel it in her bones.

But first. . .

She moved towards a tree whose branches were heavy with the fruit she had been told to retrieve, raising a hand carefully up to it, eyes fixed on the green leaves looking for any sort of movement like a snake or any other poisonous animal, though she had been told that they had all been driven out long ago and kept from coming back in by a spell. Seeing nothing but the winds breath on the leaves she picked a few of the bright colored fruit, placing them carefully in a basked so as not to bruise them. When it was filled to the brim she moved away back into the heat of the sun simultaneously moving a hand to her forehead to wipe away the sweat that had formed on it, not realizing how hot she had become.

Sure she had done something similar to this back at home but rarely was the weather like this.

She looked towards the pool, moving towards it looking down at the water. It looked clean and fresh, better than the water coming from within the fountain she figured. It couldn't hurt to taste. However not knowing if she would get into trouble for drinking from this pool she looked around carefully seeing no sights of life but a strangely colored butterfly flapping its wings lazily on the winds breath and back towards the pool, crouching down in a raised surface half hidden by a tree with long green leaves, cupping her hands lowering them into the water letting her cupped hands full with water, seeing herself reflected back at her feeling the coolness of the water against her skin as age raised it to her lips to drink.

Without meaning to she looked up out across from the water quickly spotting two figure staring back at her from across the pool and shade. The two of them were dressed in royal clothing and dripping in jewels, hanging earrings glittering in the sun, the both of them roughly the same height, both tall and lean and well built from what she could see of their elegant bright covering and harem pants, the glint of a dagger tucked into one of their belts. Their eyes golden the other teal.

Without a doubt those two were the princes she had heard about in the kitchens, she could just tell. Hair ash blond, light brown mixed with an odd color hair, cold teal eyes and bright gold moved to her on the other side of the water looking at her half hidden in the flowers and shade not looking away from her the three of them, not even blinking as they looked at each other not once lifting their sight away, each not looking away from the other for even an instant, forever fixed on each other.

She looked at the two of them for a moment more, a moment far too long before she quickly grabbed her basket and went back to the kitchens.

* * *

 

***1 Im sorry if I got the name of it wrong I just couldn't find the name of what it is called.**

**To Nanashi, I'm very sorry I couldn't work Shiki, Roen or Mage into this story, but I will be writing a one shot for Shiki and Roen based on this story sometime in the future. Don't know what to write for Mage though.**

***2 Wanted to make it the Aztec Empire, but its too far away.**


	4. Chapter 4

**For all intents and purposes in this fic Rem and Urie are both seventeen years old at this time. Even if they are the same age Urie is referred to as "the young prince" or simply as "young prince" because he was born ten minutes after Rem was.**

**Ritsuka is currently the same age she is in the beginning of the anime.**

**Please note that if you are Muslim or Christian then please stop reading at this point. Please I don't want you to get all pissie, find out where I live and go on a Jihad or a so called holy war against me, more than enough people have already died in this year alone.**

**Chapter four**

**The palace school room.**

* * *

 

". . . in the year 628 of this countries' founding a time that would later come to be know as the Years of the Dark Twilight in this country, not unlike that written about Rome centuries before, a group of 10,00 followers led by the man known now only as the False Prophet, a madman who was the head of that hedonistic cult that we know know Muslims or un-Arabs were led into to the city and dared to storm the holy site at Meeca a place that was once the countries' capital and defaced the images of our divine gods and declared that the new religion would be what we know now today as Islamic, a false religion close to that of Christians who believe in only one god like them. They to feared magic and outlawed it and killed many of the true inhabitance of the land so swiftly leaving few unprepared and thereby forcing the rest to go into hiding, their magic still in its infant stage of life unlike that which is known today. After the madman's death it was hoped that the old ways would return but his fanatic ideals became stronger than ever despite the brave efforts of this lands ancestors. Their noble blood still circulating within the currents of the Red Sea for all time. It would remain that way it supposed for all time it would seem until the first true kings of this land, your ancestors, joined forces with the powerful sorceress and goddess-like..."

"Young prince, are you paying attention to any of this in the least?!"

For the life of him he wasn't and couldn't pay attention to all the droning happening on in front of him. Honestly, it was as if Holland loved to hear the sound of his own voice more then anything else. And besides the fact, he had heard it all before since the cradle and knew it all by heart anyway so now very quickly he found himself first staring at the clock on the wall and then to the window finding that it wasn't long before he found himself thinking back to that image of the pool when he had glimpsed those eyes he had seen with Rem the other day. Yes... those eyes he had seen along with his brother reflecting at him from across the water. The color of them so unique and yet so un-unique in their style.

He didn't understand why he was so interested to find the identity of the one who possessed them.

But he would know soon enough.

"Hmm?" Urie looked up at Hollands shrilly voice aimed down at him.

"Really now, of all times must you stare off into the sun during a lecture like this? As we speak the one who will became your other is learning this so your children can learn from her as well..." Holland sighed heavily before continuing. "And now once again your elder brother has to show you what he has learned while you stare out into the sun. Prince Rem?"

"Yes Holland."

"Please explain the events that unfolded in Rome Italy after its siege by the Goths as well as what happened to that of the Christians and Muslim uhh... religion to the two of us please."

"...The attack on Rome and the empire itself was powerful and deadly, the people in the city too overtaxed to care to even want to fight back, however it was pushed back by a small but powerful few who had yet to become fat and lazy off the their bloody games and sports, for they were former slaves that would one day become our ancestors as well as ones who secretly practiced magic that at the time was banned and used it to drive the invading arms off. Afterwards they attempted to revive the old glory to the city they had been enslaved by in some bizarre sense of blinded loyalty. However they were still few in number and try as they might the several million citizens who still remained within the city were too afraid of them and did not wish to be ruled by outsiders such as them, even though they did not resist the pillage of their city they had been so proud to be a part of. The lot of them were too fat and too simple minded now, still clinging to the glory that had been slowly evaporating from the city so long ago before their own eyes and other taxed beyond all sense allowing themselves to nearly be conquered by outsiders but not to be ruled by them. . ."

Rem paused in his words before continuing, a slight creese in his eyebrow, like he was trying to refocus on what he was saying.

"And so not long after that day our ancestors left the walled decaying city behind them to find again their own homeland for the one they had come from was had been burned to ashes and Rome fell to ruin. All thanks to a mad emperor who came into power and who moved the capital to Constaninople in the east decades before, leaving the old city all but defenseless thereby allowing the sacking that befell Rome. However not long afterwards that city too was captured by Vandals as well as its own people and left to rote to pillage and plunder to the last of its stone and rock. For a period of time afterwards Rome was ruled by Christians trying to set up a capital safe behind its walls and bring their beliefs to the countries that had been once ruled by Rome, attempting to halt any and all ideas that differ from their own. Calling for at least two mad holy-war called Crusades against the Muslims who had nearly destroyed our lands and our way of life. They attempted to halt the progress of the world to spread their own beliefs and ideals, inevitably loosing much technology in the progress during their short live middle ages. When they first began taking over what was left of Rome they stripped the temples of their gods and destroyed the images of their deities building their churches on top of their temples, outlawing any and all pagan traditions that they did not understand and halting progress. Like how the Muslims did with to our own ancestors. Fearing that their stupidity and love of war would lead to the end of the world the Sorceress Goddess eventually managed to form a contract with the Mongolian Empire who were once her people and together managed to break through their gates and along with the Sorceress Goddess' power combined with the might of the Mongolas and our unified countries in battle they drove them out of the lands they had conquered from the true inhabitancy whom were brought out of hiding by the Goddess and scatter them throughout the world. The sorceress Goddess then swept through the countries they controlled destroying their churches and teachings. All this happened during their their third Crusade where they were too busy fighting amongst themselves to notice what was going on elsewhere, and when they finally noticed it was far too late as her powers and captured along with the like of three of the Christians kings fighting amongst themselves as well as Saladan. Today there are few in number, their religion as well as that of Muslims outlawed and hated by all."

Rem drawled out the well known words as if it they were straight from the book itself, hardly a pause for breath. His voice sounding more than ever like he had swallowed the entire history-book whole. And yet there was a certain amount of distraction to him quite unlike how he usually was in these times.

"Well said my prince," Holland smiled benignly at the two in the room and looked up at the clock. "Oh dear is it that time already? I suppose it cannot be helped That is all for today."

The two princes nodded. Rem scooped his books up eyes moving towards the window where the garden courtyard could be seen frowning slightly before looking away and heading towards the door.

"My prince forgive me for saying this but... you seemed somewhat distracted today." Holland asked him as he was leaving books tucked under his arm careful to avoid the dagger tucked into his belt.

"I... It is.. nothing Holland," he said as Urie turned back to smirk at him.

Rem frowned, his mind's eye agin pushing his memory back to what he had seen in the garden. Why could he not get that image out of his head, he knew it had been a girl dressed in simple servant clothing from the kitchens.

A simple servant girl, nothing more nothing less another face in a crowd of plenty.

So why was he... so intent on finding out who she was?

"Is it the matter of the marriage proposal? Hollan asked suddenly. "Please my prince do not worry about it, the princess Shiki cannot be so bad as they say she is and may perhaps you and she may create a child that is as glories and as strong the goddess and hero of old! You as well young prince. Goodness the people will be happy to finally have a princess of the desert again."

Urie simply grimaced at that and Rem was certain he was thinking the same thing as he was before he left him in the room with only Holland.

. . .Why was he picturing a man with purple hair for that matter?

"My prince... Are you alright? You seem very unwell. . . Do you think prince Urie snuck any mushrooms into our food lately when the servants were not looking again!?"

A few corridors away Urie stopped by a tapestry depicting that of the Red Sea pulling back the curtain revealing when he did a hidden a blank wall beneath the fine turkish tapestry the wall slid open with just a wave of his hand, revealing when he did a set of platforms big enough to hold at least five people leading either leading to the top of the palace or the bottom and all areas in between. He slipped inside the large room carefully pulling the thick tapestry back so it would not flutter as the wall slowly slid itself shut the door behind him. He figured that he would make it a lot quicker this way he turned going to the right and down snapped his fingers and the single platform descended on their own the floor disappearing as he went lower. After a few minutes of this he simply stepped off to a solid ground and he looked around finding what he was searching for and moved closer to a seemingly blank wall. He placed his ear against the smooth seemingly thick surface and listened for any movement on the other side. Hearing no footsteps what so ever he placed his palm against the wall and it slowly slid open and he slipped within a deserted covered walkway leading towards the palace courtyard shielding his eyes from the bright light for a mere moment before going more openly out into the light.

As his vision cleared he looked around the hallway carefully, making sure no one was coming this way before he went fully into the bright hallway and the stone wall slid silently shut behind him and he made his way out into the palace courtyard. It would not do for a servant to go telling his father of his careless use of the secret stairways, no doubt father would soon be seeing red if he heard about his laziness.

~~_"Come on Rem, this way!"_ ~~

~~_"Slow down Urie."_ ~~

Soft childlike laughter rang through the marble halls of the palace an echo of an age long past and all but forgotten in the flowing river of time.

He still remembered that time long ago he and Rem had used this a lot when they were younger.

But lately Rem...

Urie sighed heavily as he walked amongst the flowers sitting by the edge of the pool and dipping his fingers into the water eyes trained towards the area where he had seen the half mysteriouse butterfly.

If he remember correctly she had been wearing clothing of the one who worked in the kitchens.

But why was she wearing what appeared to have been slave bracelets...?

He placed his hand on the stone closing his eyes concentrating, trying to see on the memory of the earth and stone.

"Escuse me... Sir what are you..."

Urie paused in his movement and turned to see a servant girl from the kitchens and smiled.

Perfect.

"Oh! Prince Urie! I am sorry. I did not recognize you for a moment! Please forgive me for distracting you!" Hurriedly she placed her left hand over her heart and bowed her head low.

"That is alright, sweet butterfly. Rather... I am very happy you came upon me." Sitting up from the low wall he approached her chuckling slightly at the bashful look on her face.

"Wh-what is it, my prince?"

"Can you come with me for a second my dear? There is something I need to ask of you..."

"My prince! ...I apologize but... I am... busy."

"It won't take long, dear butterfly." Urie smiled golden eyes fixed on the one before him glittering like yellow crystals in the morning light.

He watched him walk among the pool and flowers with the servant girl before disappearing into one of the many walkways, towards the direction of his room. Wolf like eyes narrowing angrily.

* * *

**Yes I know this chapter is short.**


	5. Dream Visions

**Chapter five.**

**Dream Visions.**

**Please don't leave a comment saying that Lindo is overreacting in this situation because he's not.**

* * *

 

**A bamboo forest clearing in China.**

~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~

How could he have let this happen?

He had promised Grandfather that he would protect what was left of his family... and now Ritsuka was gone. Kidnapped by Slavers he and his aunt could feel it in their very bones.

"Forgive me... Forgive me."

A red haired boy knowtowed before his Granfather's grave placed at the very center of the earth. His forehead touching the damp grass his fingers bringing small bits of grass were being drawn up form the ground as his fingers clenched together burning indents and offerings upon the smooth curved surface.

His grave, their Grandfather's grave lay in the very center of an open space of bamboo trees the very tops of which sending a small beam of light through the thick branches coloring the area a bright floral green. There was a river running though it and a small statue of a Hindu Buddha in quiet meditation. It was a serene place, hideaway of sorts that had been his grandmothers favorite spot and would have been her favorite resting place for her earthly body if they had found even a scrap of her left after those dogs had been finished with her during the cataclysm that was the Manchus invasion and rise to power over the last emperor.

Though the two of them were not told what had happened to her they knew, from dreams as well as looking at the portrait of her hanging on the wall of their home. Her eyes forever black sockets, body forever destroyed and ravaged.

Why Grandfather had wanted to be buried here none of them knew. He had loved her, loved her enough to defy tradition and marry her, a foreigner for love. A disgrace as the oh so precious first son and had been banished from the family. No small feet. He had cared for her so dearly, loved the daughters she bore him when to the reality of others in the land he should have gotten concubines to give him precious sons instead of worthless daughters.

Why he wanted to be constantly reminded of the deeds done to her in the uprising none of them knew.

"Please guide me grandfather... in that distant unfamiliar land. You are the only ancestor that can or will help me... Please..."

The tracks were still fresh when he had come upon them, but he had discovered them too late to catch to run after them on foot, and too late to save her. But he knew where they had been heading and now he was praying here for his grandfathers guidance.

At the sound of approaching footsteps he turned around to see his aunt and adopted mother coming into the clearing. How many times had Ritsuka done the same walking so softly he might have mistaken that she had so called Lily-feet?

The memory of her alone nearly sent a knott in his stomach so deep he let out a strangled cry deep in his throat as his mother knelt by his side on the damp earth.

"My son."

If they had been anywhere else they would have rejoiced at this fact that a worthless mouth did not need any more feeding or money thrown at a seemingly worthless cause. But they were not and their hearts were aching with sorrow and minds alert with worry and fear for the safety of their precious cousin and daughter.

"Forgive me... mother. I had a feeling, a dream in the night. I should have gone with her."

"It is not your fault."

"I swear to you mother, I will go find her this day, this hour, this minute!" He promised, the rays raining through the thick bamboo from the sun making his eyes seem to glow with the smallest amount of crimson. "And I will save her. I don't care what happens to me! If anyone... is anything happens to her... I cannot go on living!" His voice was shaking and rough the soft smelling incense unhelpful at the moment but was soon blocked by her aunts sleeve as she wrapped her arms around him.

"I know you will Lindo, but listen... there is something you need to know."

"But..."

"Ritsuka is a strong girl that will not expect that of one from her even more so a daughter from China. I have no doubt she can protect herself until we can find her. They will not hurt her... He told me that..."

"He came to you?"

"In my dreams..."

Green eyes flecked with crimson gave into pools of brown for a moment before they looked away shoulders shaking ever so slightly.

"Then... that what does he want us to do mother?"

"...Wait," Maria finally said her voice heavy with a grief only a mother would know. "Wait and watch, that is all... He will not shield you Lindo..."

"Come here my son." Maria sighed through her tears pulling him ever closer in a hug. "Let us comfort each other."

_A/N Get those images out of your head._

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_A certain corridor in the Desert Palace._

"How many times do I have to tell you this..." The voice was barely above a growl, just above the hiss of a snake and yet it carried well through the still silent air.

"I. . .. I'm sorry, please forgive me, father!"

The sound of a body being thrown heavily against a wall could be heard as well as that of heavy blows. Passing servants quicken their pace in the nearby corridor leaving it all but deserted.

No one wanted to face the king when he was this angry. When the king raised his voice the common servants scattered like fish in the pond when a pebble was thrown into its glassy depths, countless number of sand thrown up in a harsh storm.

"You are a Prince of the Desert not one of the common people, to have children with whoever they so please. That is the law!" Glax's eyes were like cold fire as he glared down at his son on the ground before him under his foot blood and black and bruised.

"If you are not careful and the girl you were with turn out pregnant... A common child to have powers of as well as the blood of the ones descended from the Kings of the Heroes of Old..."

"I... I am... I didn't even..."

He was silenced by another blow that left his gasping for breath tasting blood clouding his vision in red.

"You had best hope for your own soul that girl doesn't find herself pregnant with your child until well after you are married to the Princess of Turkey." He turned his back leaving him on the ground, long white robes flying out behind him cold chains clinking together with his swift yet unhurried movements.

Urie lay there on the once polished floor his blood coloring the marble his body too stiff to move feeling himself flickering in and out of conciseness, he heard no other sound the people too afraid to touch him that was until he felt soft warm hands touching him.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Why couldn't she get their images out of her head?

The images of gold and teal dressed in splendid clothing that she thought looked a bit too reveling, yet she figured she wasn't any better. Privately she wondered what Lindo would do if he ever saw her in such clothing, but it wasn't her fault no one could help the temperature here. It felt uncomfortable to be wearing so little clothing and yet... something about it felt... slightly familiar.

She shook her head trying to clear it and focus on the task at hand but it was not use not after that conversation she had her thoughts again flying back to that time a few days ago after she had come back into the kitchen.

_"Why have you come... Goodness what is wrong with you girl!?" The cook demanded at her as she looked at the state of the girl short of breath before her._

_"I'm sorry... I was gathering what you requested when I saw two figures staring at me across the pool and I saw..." Her voice trailed off a bit. The look of gold and teal filling her eyes making her unable to speak._

_"Saw who?"_

_"She saw them, the princes..." An older girl smiled knowingly head turned looking right at Ritsuka._

_All the elder world needed for a answer from Ritsuka was a glance at her face making her sigh._

_"Back to your own work."_

_"Ah... Prince Rem and prince Urie together? Hmm what a sight that must have been... Rare as well... Were they arguing?"_

_"...No."_

_"Very rare..."_

_"What do you mean by that?" Ritsuka asked voice low making sure she wasn't heard by the head cook._

_"Well... they used to be close when they were children but ever since the death of the queen..."_

She was pushed out of her thoughts when a servant brushed quickly past her, before she could ask what was wrong she heard a loud shout and then a bang that sounded like a body being thrown heavily against the polished wall. She contemplated following the steps of the servant but... something within her told her to push forward and she had always been told to trust what she felt and so as she investigated forward when the footsteps were gone she looked around the corner quickly seeing the body on the ground lying in a small pool of blood on the polished floor.

Without hesitating she moved quickly towards him seeing that he was still breathing a sigh that his chi was still very strong. Satisfied with that she looked around and saw a half open door that upon further inspection she found it to be an unused room of sorts with a lever that when pulled produced clear cold water. She found a small rag filling it with a small bit of the water and began to carefully wipe the blood from his face. As she did something began shimmering at the tips of her fingers as she carefully wiped the blood off his body his wound healing up as she did. It did not surprise her, she had had this ability since she was a child and soon bright golden orbs were locked onto hers as prince Urie half regained conciseness and gazed up at her, no doubt recognizing him from that time a few days ago at the courtyard.

"Its you... from that time by the gardens," he breathed though he could feel the pain slowly leaving him he knew that he still should not move so soon.

"Shh... don't talk."

"Why are you...?" No one touched him after a situation like this, they wouldn't dare.

"You are hurt."

A small light seemed to come from her as she touched his wounded flesh. He blinked but the moment he did it was gone.

"Thank-you for your concern butterfly." He smiled.

"Your welcome... prince." she said with a small smile.


End file.
